U.S. patent application number 14/098265 was filed with the patent office on 2014-06-26 for planter and seed meter for planting multiple seed varities.
This patent application is currently assigned to Deere & Company. The applicant listed for this patent is Deere & Company. Invention is credited to Elijah B. Garner, Andrew J. Schwartz.
Application Number | 20140174330 14/098265 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50934958 |
Filed Date | 2014-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140174330 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Garner; Elijah B. ; et
al. |
June 26, 2014 |
PLANTER AND SEED METER FOR PLANTING MULTIPLE SEED VARITIES
Abstract
A seed planter and seed meter for planting different seed
varieties based on the location of the machine in a field. A
movable gate switches between seed varieties. The gate in one
embodiment has three positions; one position opening a first seed
passage to the meter and closing a second seed passage, a second
position opening the second seed passage and closing the first seed
passage and a third position closing both the first and second seed
passages. Two other gate embodiments have only two positions, each
position opening one seed passage and closing the other.
Inventors: |
Garner; Elijah B.;
(Bettendorf, IA) ; Schwartz; Andrew J.;
(Bettendorf, IA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Deere & Company |
Moline |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Deere & Company
Moline
IL
|
Family ID: |
50934958 |
Appl. No.: |
14/098265 |
Filed: |
December 5, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61740732 |
Dec 21, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
111/200 ;
251/326 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K 3/02 20130101; A01C
5/068 20130101; F16K 3/0254 20130101; A01C 7/102 20130101; A01C
5/064 20130101; A01C 21/005 20130101; A01C 7/046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
111/200 ;
251/326 |
International
Class: |
A01C 7/20 20060101
A01C007/20; F16K 3/02 20060101 F16K003/02 |
Claims
1. A seed meter comprising: a housing having an interior and having
an opening in the housing configured to receive first and second
seed passages for delivery of seed to the housing interior; a
metering member within the housing to singulate seed; and a gate
within the housing movable between positions to close or open the
seed passages wherein when a seed passage is open, seed is allowed
to flow from the seed passage into the interior of the housing and
wherein when a seed passage is closed, seed is blocked from flowing
into the interior of the housing.
2. The seed meter of claim 1 wherein the gate has a first position
opening the first passage and closing the second passage and a
second position opening the second passage and closing the first
passage.
3. The seed meter of claim 1 wherein the gate has a first position
opening the first passage and closing the second passage, a second
position opening the second passage and closing the first passage
and a third position closing both the first and second
passages.
4. The seed meter of claim 1 wherein the metering member rotates
about a meter axis and wherein the gate also rotates about the
meter axis.
5. The seed meter of claim 1 wherein the gate has a hub portion for
mounting the gate for rotation about an axis, a radial arm portion
extending radially from the hub portion and a paddle portion
connected to the radial arm portion and adapted to cover the seed
passages to close the seed passages to the interior of the
housing.
6. The seed meter of claim 5 further comprising at least one brush
at an open end of the seed passages having bristle that touch the
paddle portion of the gate.
7. The seed meter of claim 5 further comprising a brush on the
paddle portion of the gate having bristles that touch the metering
member.
8. The seed meter of claim 5 wherein the paddle portion is in a
plane inclined to a plane containing the hub portion.
9. The seed meter of claim 5 wherein the paddle portion is a
frustum of a cone.
10. The seed meter of claim 1 wherein the gate has a radial arm
portion extending radially from the hub portion and further
comprising a crank carried by the housing and connected to the
radial arm portion.
11. The seed meter of claim 10 further comprising a linear actuator
mounted to the housing and coupled to the crank to rotate the crank
and thereby rotate the gate.
12. The seed meter of claim 11 wherein the crank passes through the
housing and the linear actuator is mounted to the outside of the
housing.
13. The seed meter of claim 10 wherein the crank is rotatably
coupled to the housing.
14. A planter comprising: a first tank adapted to hold a first
seed; a second tank adapted to hold a second seed; a plurality of
seed meters each having a housing with an interior, the housings
having an opening therein for seed to pass into the interior of the
housing; a seed delivery system adapted to convey seed from the
first and second tanks to the meter housings including a plurality
of conduits having seed passages coupled to the housings of
respective seed meters at the openings therein; and the seed meters
further having a metering member within the housing, and a gate
within the housing movable between positions to close or open the
seed passages to allow or prevent flow of seed into the meter
housing respectively.
15. The planter of claim 14 wherein the gate has a first position
opening a first seed passage and closing a second seed passage and
a second position opening the second passage and closing the first
passage.
16. The planter of claim 14 wherein the gate has a first position
opening a first seed passage and closing a second seed passage, a
second position opening the second passage and closing the first
passage and a third position closing both the first and second
passages.
17. The planter of claim 14 wherein the metering member rotates
about a meter axis and wherein the gate also rotates about the
meter axis.
18. The planter of claim 17 wherein the gate has a hub portion for
mounting the gate for rotation within the meter housing, a radial
arm portion extending radially from the hub portion and a paddle
portion connected to the radial arm portion adapted to cover the
seed passages to close the seed passages to the interior of the
housing.
19. The planter of claim 18 wherein the paddle portion is in a
plane inclined to a plane containing the hub portion.
20. The planter of claim 18 wherein the paddle portion is a frustum
of a cone.
21. The planter of claim 14 wherein the gate has a radial arm
portion extending radially from the hub portion and wherein the
meter further comprises a crank carried by the housing and
connected to the radial arm portion.
22. The planter of claim 21 further comprising a linear actuator
mounted to the housing and coupled to the crank to rotate the crank
and thereby rotate the gate.
23. The planter of claim 22 wherein the crank passes through the
housing and the linear actuator is mounted to the outside of the
housing.
24. The seed meter of claim 22 wherein the crank is rotatably
coupled to the housing.
25. A gate for use within a seed meter of a seeding machine, the
seeding machine having a conduit forming first and second seed
passages for first and second seeds to pass into the meter, the
seed meter having a housing having an interior and an opening for
seed to pass into the housing from the seed passages and the meter
having a metering member therein, the gate comprising: a hub
portion configured for mounting the gate in the meter housing for
rotation about an axis; an arm extending radially from the hub
portion; and a paddle portion connected to the arm and adapted to
open or close the seed passages based on the position of the
gate.
26. The gate of claim 25 further comprising a second arm extending
radially having a radial slot therein.
27. The gate of claim 25 wherein the paddle portion has two wall
sections separated by an open window portion therebetween.
28. The gate of claim 26 wherein the hub portion and the radially
extending arms lie in a common plane and the paddle portion is not
in the common plane.
29. The gate of claim 28 wherein the paddle portion is a frustum of
a cone.
30. A seeding machine comprising: a first tank for holding a first
seed; a second tank for holding a second seed; a seed distribution
system for distributing first seed from the first tank and second
seed from the second tank, the seed distribution system having a
first seed passage for the first seed and a second seed passage for
the second seed; a seed meter having a housing with an interior,
the housing having an opening for the first seed passage and the
second seed passage to supply first and second seed to the interior
of the housing; and the seed meter having a gate movable between
positions opening and closing the first and second seed passages to
enable and prevent first and second seed flowing into the housing,
the gate being movable between three positions, a first position
opening the first seed passage to the interior of the housing and
closing the second seed passage to the interior of the housing, a
second position opening the second seed passage to the interior of
the housing and closing the first seed passage and a third position
closing both the first and second seed passages to the interior of
the housing.
31. The seeding machine of claim 29 wherein the gate is movably
mounted in the interior of the seed meter housing.
32. The seeding machine of claim 30 further comprising a metering
member inside the housing mounted for rotation about a meter axis
and the gate is rotatable substantially about the meter axis.
33. The seeding machine of claim 32 wherein the gate has a hub
portion adapted to mount the gate for rotation, a radially
extending arm and a paddle portion connected to the radially
extending arm portion which moves between positions to open and
close the seed passages.
34. The seeding machine of claim 33 wherein the gate further
comprises a second radially extending arm.
35. The seeding machine of claim 34 further comprising a linkage
coupled to the second radially extending arm and an actuator to
move the linkage to rotate the gate between positions.
36. The seeding machine of claim 33 wherein the hub portion and the
radially extending arm lie in a common plane and the paddle portion
is not in the common plane.
37. The seeding machine of claim 36 wherein the paddle portion is a
frustum of a cone.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This disclosure relates to seed planters and in particular
to planters adapted to planting two or more varieties of seed based
on the location of the planter in a field.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] FIG. 1 is a side view of a seeding machine illustrating the
seed storage tanks and a planting row unit;
[0003] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of another
embodiment of a planter row unit;
[0004] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front of the planter row
unit of FIG. 2;
[0005] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the seed meter of
the row unit of FIGS. 2 and 3;
[0006] FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the mini-seed hopper
of the seed meter of FIGS. 2 and 3;
[0007] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the interior of the seed
meter of the row unit of FIGS. 2 and 3 without the gate for
switching between seed varieties;
[0008] FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of the meter like FIG. 7
with the gate included for switching between seed varieties with
the gate shown in two different positions;
[0009] FIG. 10 is a perspective view like FIGS. 8 and 9 with an
alternative embodiment of the gate shown in one position only;
and
[0010] FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are perspective views like FIG. 8 with
yet another alternative embodiment of the gate shown in three
positions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Most crop production is carried out by seeding an entire
field with one seed variety. However, sufficient agronomic data is
now available to utilize site specific planting prescriptions that
use two or more seed varieties in a given field to increase yields.
Various factors are used to determine the best variety for a given
location. One area of a field may be lower and typically wetter
than other areas. The increased moisture alone may suggest a
different variety in that location. In addition, the moisture may
result in increased weed or pest pressure in that location
necessitating other varieties with resistance to those pressures.
To plant the field most efficiently with parallel back and forth
passes, and to plant with multiple site specific varieties, it is
necessary to switch back and forth between varieties numerous times
based on the location of the machine in the field.
[0012] With reference to FIG. 1, a seeding machine, in the form of
a row crop planter 20, is shown which is capable of switching
between seed varieties without stopping the machine. Planter 20 is
equipped with multiple planting row units 22, only one of which is
shown. Row unit 22 is only one example of many different types of
row units that can be used to plant seed. Row unit 22, as shown,
includes an opener 24 that forms a shallow furrow in the soil as
the machine traverses a field. Gauge wheels 26 control the depth of
the furrow. A seed meter 28 meters seed to deliver individual seeds
sequentially to a seed tube 30 that directs the seed to the furrow
beneath the meter. A closing wheel or other device 32 trails behind
and covers the deposited seed with soil. Each row unit 22 is
mounted to the machine frame 34 by a parallel linkage 56 (FIG. 1)
so that the individual row units 22 may move up and down to a
limited degree relative to the frame 34. Multiple row units 22 are
mounted to the frame 34 such that multiple parallel rows are
planted with each pass of the machine through a field.
[0013] Each seed meter is equipped with a small seed hopper 40
commonly referred to as a mini-hopper. Seed from two or more tanks
42, 44 is delivered to the mini-hopper pneumatically through tubes
46, 48. Tube 46 extends from tank 42 to the mini-hopper 40 and tube
48 extends from the tank 44 to the mini-hopper 40. Each tank 42, 44
carries a different seed variety such that each variety is
delivered to the each mini-hopper. The tanks and tubes are part of
a pneumatic seed delivery system 50 such as those shown in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 6,609,468; 6,688,244; and 7,025,010, incorporated herein
by reference. Seed delivery system also includes a fan or fans 52
to provide the air stream to convey the seed through the tubes 46,
48.
[0014] The row unit 22 and seed meter 28 are shown in greater
detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the row unit in which the components
are arranged somewhat differently from that shown in FIG. 1 but
with the same essential components. Each row unit 22 has a frame
member 58 (FIG. 2) to which the components of the row unit are
mounted. The frame member 58 includes a pair of upstanding arms 60
at the forward end of thereof. The arms 60 are coupled to the
rearward ends of the parallel linkage 56. Furrow opening disks 24
are attached to shafts 62 in a known manner to form an open furrow
in the soil beneath the seeding machine into which seed is
deposited. A seed meter 28 and a seed delivery system 400 are also
attached to the frame member 58 of each row unit. The seed delivery
system 400 replaces the seed tube 30 of FIG. 1.
[0015] The meter 28 includes a housing 64 (FIG. 3) that consists of
a housing body 66 and a cover 68. The housing body 66 and the cover
68 are coupled to one another by complementary hinge features 70
and 72 on the housing body and cover respectively. Hinge feature 70
includes a pivot pin 71 (FIG. 4) coupled to the housing body while
the feature 72 is an integrally formed hook that wraps around the
pivot pin 71 allowing the cover 68 to pivot about the axis of the
pin. An elastomeric latch member 74 is coupled to the housing body
66 and has an enlarged portion 76 that is seated into a socket 78
formed in the cover to hold the cover in a closed position on the
housing body 66.
[0016] The housing body 66 is formed with a second hinge element in
the form of a pivot pin 80 (FIG. 3). Pivot pin 80 is seated into a
hook member 82 of the mounting frame 84 attached to the frame
member 58. This allows the seed meter 28 to pivot relative to the
row unit frame member 58 about an axis 86. A drive spindle 90 (FIG.
4) is carried by the housing body 66 and has a drive hub 92 on the
end thereof. The spindle 90 couples to the output shaft 94 of
electric motor 96 to drive the seed meter when in the assembled
position shown in FIG. 3. The seed meter 28 is coupled to the
delivery system 400 by a latch mechanism 100 including a metal rod
102 having a hook at one end seated into an aperture in the meter
housing body 66 when latched. The delivery system further has a
mounting hook 104, partially shown in FIG. 2, which attaches to the
planting unit frame member 58 to support the delivery system. The
delivery system 400 is driven by an electric motor 106, also
carried by the mounting frame 84. The output shaft of motor 106 is
connected to the delivery system through a right-angle drive
108.
[0017] A metering member 110 is disposed in the interior of the
meter housing 64. Metering member 110 is has a single piece,
concave bowl shaped body. The bowl shaped body has a base portion
112 from which extends a sidewall 114. Sidewall 114 terminates in
an outer edge 116. Near the outer edge 116 there is an annular
array of apertures 118 that extend through the sidewall. The base
portion 112 of the metering member contains a central drive
aperture 130 (FIG. 4) used to mount the metering member on the
rotational drive hub 92 for rotation about the axis 132. In
operation, as the metering member rotates, individual seeds from a
seed pool located adjacent the inner side of the metering member
are adhered to the apertures 118 and sequentially carried upward to
a release position where the seeds are individually removed by the
delivery system 400.
[0018] The mini-hopper 40 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 5 and
6 where the hopper body is shown without the removable cover or
vent screens. The interior of the hopper is divided in two by a
wall 120 forming two chambers, 122 and 124. Seed hose 46 from tank
42 passes into the hopper and terminates in the chamber 122 whereby
seed from the tank 42 is deposited in the chamber 122. Likewise,
the hose 48 passes into the hopper and terminates in the chamber
124 to deposit seed therein. At the lower end, the hopper includes
a seed chute portion or conduit 126 which is divided by the wall
120 into two seed passages 128 and 130 which are at the lower ends
of the chambers 122 and 124 respectively. The hopper connects to
the meter housing body 66 at the opening 132 in the body with the
chute portion 126 extending into the interior of the housing body.
While the hopper is shown as a single piece plastic molding with a
chute having two seed passages, it will be appreciated that
separate hoppers for the two seeds are possible and separate
conduits, each forming a seed passage is also possible. Further,
with separate conduits or chutes, the housing body 66 could have
two separate openings therein for the seed passages. The claims
that following should be broadly construed to cover these
variations.
[0019] A single piece gate 150 (FIG. 8) is mounted in the housing
and movable to various positions to close or open the ends of the
seed passages 128, 130. The gate 150 includes a hub portion 152
mounting the gate in the meter housing for rotation substantially
about the meter axis 132. The hub portion includes an aperture 154
that fits over an annular rib 156 on a bushing 158 (FIG. 7). As
shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the rib is concentric about the meter axis
132 but it need not be so. It is possible for the axis of rotation
of the gate 150 to be different from the axis 132 if desired.
[0020] The gate 150 has a first radial arm portion 160 extending
radially from the hub portion 152. Connected to the first radial
arm portion is a paddle portion 162. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 8, the paddle portion includes two wall portions 164 and 166
separated by a window 170. The gate further has a second radially
arm portion 172 with a slot 174. A crank or linkage 176 formed of a
metal rod is rotatably mounted to the housing body 66 by a bushing
178 snap fit to the housing body. The end of one arm 180 of the
crank is disposed in the slot 174. The end of the other arm 182 of
the crank is located on the exterior of the meter housing and is
coupled to a linear actuator 184 attached to the outside of the
housing body 66.
[0021] The hub portion 152, the first radial arm portion 160 and
the second radial arm portion 172 all lie generally in the same
plane. The paddle portion 162 is inclined to the common plane of
the hub portion and the radial arms. The paddle portion is shaped
as a portion of a frustum of a cone and generally matches the
contours of the inside of the metering member 110.
[0022] Operation of the linear actuator to extend or retract the
plunger 186 causes the crank to rotate about the axis 188 defined
by the bushing 178. Rotation of the crank in turn causes the gate
to rotate about its rotational axis, moving the wall portions to
different locations to open or close the passages 128 and 130 to
the interior of the meter housing. The linear actuator can be
electronic, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc. The type of linear actuator
is not critical to the operation of the seed meter.
[0023] Brushes 190, 192, and 194 on the bottom edges of the hopper
40 form seals between the hopper and the paddle portion 162 of the
gate 150. The brushes keep seed in the seed passages 128 and 130
from mixing with one another and from moving to other areas in the
interior of the meter housing. A brush 196 mounted on the wall
portion 166 of the gate, adjacent and below the window 170, forms a
seal between the gate 150 and the surface of the metering member
110.
[0024] With reference to FIG. 8, the gate 150 is in a position
where the wall portion 164 covers and closes the seed passage 128.
This prevents seed from the passage 128 from flowing into the meter
housing. The window 170 is aligned with the seed passage 130,
allowing seed from the passage 130 to flow into the meter housing
and form a small seed pool in contact with the surface of the
metering member 110. The brush 196 defines a lower boundary of the
seed pool and keeps seed from moving downward, beyond the window
170 to the bottom of the housing body.
[0025] Operation of the actuator 184 to retract the plunger 186
causes counter-clockwise rotation of the crank about the axis 188
as viewed in FIG. 8. This causes clockwise rotation of the gate
150, moving the window 170 into alignment with the seed passage 128
while moving the wall portion 166 into alignment with the passage
130, thereby closing the passage with 130 as shown in FIG. 9. When
rotating the gate, any seed in the seed pool beyond the paddle
portion 162 of the gate is pushed upward by the brush 196 and
remains in the seed pool and is mixed with seed from the passage
128. The number of seeds from the passage 130 mixed with seed from
passage 128 will be relatively small. Likewise, when the gate is
moved in the opposite direction to move the window from seed
passage 128 to seed passage 130, seed from the passage 128 in the
seed pool will move downward and mix with seed from passage
130.
[0026] Operation of the actuator 184 is controlled by a control
system, not shown, that uses a seed prescription which defines
where each of the seed varieties are to be planted in the field. A
location system, such as a GPS system, determines the location of
the machine in the field and then operates the actuator 184 to
provide seed from seed passage 128 or seed passage 130 to the
metering member 110 for planting at that location.
[0027] An alternative embodiment of the gate is shown in FIG. 9
with the gate 250. The gate 250 has a hub portion 152, a first
radial arm portion 160 and a second radial arm portion 172 like the
gate 150. The gate 250 differs in that the paddle portion 262 only
has one wall portion 264 and no window portion. The sole wall
portion 264 moves between a first position covering the seed
passage 128 to close that passage while the seed passage 130 is
open and a second position (shown in FIG. 10) in which the wall
portion covers and closes the seed passage 130 while the seed
passage 128 is open. There is no brush below the open seed passage
to contain the seed in the seed pool. The seed pool will be located
at the bottom of the housing body 66.
[0028] A third embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11-13. There, the gate
350 has a hub portion 152, a first radial arm portion 160 and a
second radial arm portion 172 like the gates 150 and 250. The
paddle portion 362 has a single wall portion 364 and no window. The
wall portion 364 is large enough to close both the seed passages
128 and 130 simultaneously as shown in FIG. 13. The gate 350 is
movable to another position showing in FIG. 11 in which the seed
passage 128 is open and the seed passage 130 is closed. In yet
another position, the gate closes the seed passage 128 and opens
the seed passage 130 as shown in FIG. 12. To move from the position
shown in FIG. 12 with the seed passage 130 open, to the position
shown in FIG. 11 with the seed passage 128 open, the wall portion
must move through the position shown in FIG. 13 in which both seed
passages 128 and 130 are closed. In this position, seed in the seed
pool in the meter housing can be substantially used before opening
another seed passage. This reduces the amount of mixing of seed
from both passages. The gate 350 thus has three positions, one
position opening a first seed passage and closing a second seed
passage, a second position opening the second seed passage and
closing the first seed passage and a third position closing both
the first and second seed passages. This is accomplished with a
gate located in the meter housing, thus eliminating the need to
package the gate on the outside of the meter housing where it may
interfere with other components on the row unit.
[0029] Having described the seed meter and gate, it will become
apparent that various modifications can be made without departing
from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *